Sneeze sleeve

ABSTRACT

The Sneeze Sleeve is a tubular sleeve comprised of soft yet strong paper towel like like material that covers the arm of the wearer from the mid upper arm to the wrist. It has elastic bands at the mid upper arm and wrist with about one inch extensions which can be easily grasped for removal. It can be made in one size to fit all or large medium and small sizes. It needs to be long enough to cover the arm from the wrist to the mid upper arm and wide enough to allow for bending the elbow without tearing for even the largest of arms. It is worn to protect the wearers clothing or bare arm when sneezing and coughing into the bent elbow as this is what is being instructed to do by physicians. It should be packaged in a box similar to tissues or latex gloves where one can be pulled out as needed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Doctors are now telling us to sneeze and cough into our bent elbows.There are signs and drawings in doctors offices, pharmacies and even indepartment stores. This present invention is a covering that is to beworn over a sleeve or bare arm to prevent contaminants of sneezing orcoughing from getting onto clothing. It can also be worn in warm weatherwhen short sleeves or no sleeves are being worn.

PRIOR ART

Other arm and sleeve protectors are somewhat similar to the presentinvention, but they are not intended for this particular purpose. Theyseem to be of a more complicated design and construction and would notbe effective for this application.

REFERENCES

7578004 April 2005 Loyens 7370369 September 2003 Cheung 72633725 January2006 Fleury 6401247 June 2002 Williams, IV 6158054 May 1999 Belzidsky5924130 November 1996 Fragomeli 5023953 December 1990 Bettcher 4942624July 1988 Cho 4843645 April 1988 White D278566 September 1982 Gustafson5187813 May 1990 Klien 4893372 September 1998 Wenzel 6243867 June 2001Faison 2059136 October 1936 Moller

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The Sneeze Sleeve provides the wearer a surface in which to sneeze orcough into without spewing contaminants onto clothing, bare arm or intothe air. It also provides the added protection of clothing from makeupand perspiration when sneezing or coughing into the bent elbow. TheSneeze Sleeve is easily worn over clothing or the bare arm and issecured with elastic at the wrist and mid upper arm. It is easy toremove and dispose of. The Sneeze Sleeve is comprised of a soft yetstrong paper towel like material which could be manufactured of recycledmaterials. The Sneeze Sleeve is tubular in shape and wide enough incircumference to allow for the bending of the elbow without tearing. TheSneeze Sleeve is secured in place by an elastic band at the wrist andmid upper arm.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view of the Sneeze Sleeve when not being worn.

FIG. 2 is a view of the Sneeze Sleeve when being worn.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The Sneeze Sleeve has a tubular body (2) as seen in both FIG. 1 and FIG.2, which is approximately 15 inches in length and 15 inches incircumference. It is made of a paper product that is soft like a papertowel but strong and durable like the sleeve of a surgeon's paper gown.Soft yet sturdy enough to allow for repeated bending of elbow withouttearing or ripping. The Sneeze Sleeve is secured at the wrist and themid upper arm with an elastic band (1) and (3) as seen in both FIG. 1and FIG. 2. The elastic band should be tight enough to secure the SneezeSleeve in place but not so tight as to constrict blood flow, somewhatsimilar to that of a brides garter. The elastic band (1) and (3) shouldbe placed about one inch from the ends of the tubular body as seen inFIG. 1 and FIG. 2.

The Sneeze Sleeve can be easily manufactured and packaged in a tissuelike box similar to the kind of box that latex examination gloves comein, where one can be pulled out as needed.

The Sneeze Sleeve is used precisely for sneezing and coughing into. Itshould not be made of washable materials as the water temperatures varyfrom home to home and the desired temperature may not be reached to killany bacteria or viruses from colds or flu.

The Sneeze Sleeve can be utilized by fast food employees so not tocontaminate surfaces and/or equipment when they sneeze or cough sincethey usually do not carry towels and do wear short sleeves. The SneezeSleeve can be worn by waitresses and bartenders though they do havetowels those towels are used to wipe their hands and surfaces with andthe Sneeze Sleeve can protect their white uniforms from makeup whensneezing or coughing into.

When a person has a cold or flu they ideally should stay at home butthis is not always possible and there are times when a person sneezes orcoughs for no particular reason. The Sneeze Sleeve can be worn duringallergy season for those affected and the Sneeze Sleeve can be wornwhile driving to prevent having to search around for a tissue.

Because of the elastic bands at either end of the Sneeze Sleeve it canbe easily and quickly slipped on and off and because it is made of apaper product it can be easily disposed of. The Sneeze Sleeve could bemade of recycled material so it would be environmentally safe.

1. I claim a tubular Sneeze Sleeve comprised of an absorbent and softpaper product that is similar to a heavy duty paper towel and havingelastic bands at the wrist and mid upper arm with about one inchextensions on both ends.
 2. I claim the Sneeze Sleeve is wide enough toallow for the bending of the elbow and long enough to cover the arm fromthe wrist to the mid upper arm. This can be a one size to fit all or canbe in different sizes such as large, medium and small.
 3. I claim theSneeze Sleeve can be made of recycled materials as not to impact on theenvironment.
 4. I claim the Sneeze Sleeve can be different colors orpatterns
 5. I claim the Sneeze Sleeve to be in a box similar to tissuesor latex gloves where one can be pulled out as needed.